More legal problems for the government, regulators and the water industry this week, including

• The Supreme Court ruling against United Utilities in appeal case on sewage discharges brought by Manchester Ship Canal Company. According to The Guardian, the ruling paves the way for businesses and public to sue water firms over sewage. The story is also reported in WaterBriefing.
• Save Windermere launches statutory nuisance complaint against United Utilities over sewage discharges from Ambleside Wastewater Treatment Works and other locations. Also covered in The Guardian Lake District sewage campaigners launch nuisance complaint in legal first.
• A coalition of 82 environmental groups will seek a judicial review of government targets to protect nature whichever party wins the general election (reported in The Planner). The Wildlife and Countryside Link’s legal challenge aims to force the next environment secretary to consider a review of its Environmental Improvement Plan in light of January’s warning from the Office for Environmental Protection that the government was “largely off track”, with only four of 40 targets in England likely to be met.
• River Action appealing a legal challenge against the Environment Agency and preparing for further legal action to protect the River Wye from agricultural pollution.

On a related note, Tory deputy chair dismissed sewage crisis as ‘political football’. Angela Richardson accuses campaigners against polluted water of putting Conservative MPs in danger (reported in The Guardian).